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Disneyland discount tickets: Tips to help you save money

Honorable mention: Splash Mountain | Though it could stand an update, the final drop in this flume ride is worth floating through the various (and dated) "Song of the South" scenes. Here's hoping they boot the B'rers (Rabbit and Bear) and install the Avengers. Call it Bash Mountain (or, based on the value of the Marvel franchise, Cash Mountain). Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

10 best rides at Disneyland

Honorable mention: Splash Mountain | Though it could stand an update, the final drop in this flume ride is worth floating through the various (and dated) "Song of the South" scenes. Here's hoping they boot the B'rers (Rabbit and Bear) and install the Avengers. Call it Bash Mountain (or, based on the value of the Marvel franchise, Cash Mountain).
Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

10. Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin | Combine the hurl-inducing effects of spinning teacup with the black-light effects of a dark ride and you have this Toontown (pictured) favorite. The cars don't seem to achieve the RPMs of which the teacups are capable, but maybe that's because Car Toon Spin has more things to hold your attention, if not your lunch. Scott Craven/The Republic

10 best rides at Disneyland

10. Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin | Combine the hurl-inducing effects of spinning teacup with the black-light effects of a dark ride and you have this Toontown (pictured) favorite. The cars don't seem to achieve the RPMs of which the teacups are capable, but maybe that's because Car Toon Spin has more things to hold your attention, if not your lunch.
Scott Craven/The Republic

9. Peter Pan's Flight | Board a sailing ship and soar over London toward Neverland in the greatest dark ride ever made. The attraction is so masterfully done, there is no way to improve upon it. Peter Pan will forever stand the test of time. Artist's Rendering/Walt Disney Imagineering

10 best rides at Disneyland

9. Peter Pan's Flight | Board a sailing ship and soar over London toward Neverland in the greatest dark ride ever made. The attraction is so masterfully done, there is no way to improve upon it. Peter Pan will forever stand the test of time.
Artist's Rendering/Walt Disney Imagineering

8. Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters | In a blatant attempt to reach video gamers, Imagineers developed this hybrid ride/laser tag attraction. Each rider fires away at targets and the one with the highest score wins (nothing). Riders spin the cars using the centrally located joystick, bringing the added enjoyment of messing up your opponent's shots. Never relinquish control of the joystick. Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

10 best rides at Disneyland

8. Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters | In a blatant attempt to reach video gamers, Imagineers developed this hybrid ride/laser tag attraction. Each rider fires away at targets and the one with the highest score wins (nothing). Riders spin the cars using the centrally located joystick, bringing the added enjoyment of messing up your opponent's shots. Never relinquish control of the joystick.
Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

7. Thunder Mountain Railroad | This is by far the best ride to take at night. The last hill especially is worth waiting for dark, as lit fuses race along the mine shaft to ignite the dynamite. It's also not a bad coaster, with scenes reminiscent of the original Mine Train ride of more than 50 years ago. Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

10 best rides at Disneyland

7. Thunder Mountain Railroad | This is by far the best ride to take at night. The last hill especially is worth waiting for dark, as lit fuses race along the mine shaft to ignite the dynamite. It's also not a bad coaster, with scenes reminiscent of the original Mine Train ride of more than 50 years ago.
Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

6. Star Tours — The Adventure Continues | Before a much-needed update a few years, the farce was with this attraction. The 2-D film and PeeWee Herman-voiced pilot are gone, replaced by 3-D and C3PO. You're likely to get a different journey each time as computers shuffle the scenes. The pod-racing bit remains a favorite, with a visit to Kashyyyk, the Wookiee planet, right behind. Disney/Lucasfilm Ltd

10 best rides at Disneyland

6. Star Tours — The Adventure Continues | Before a much-needed update a few years, the farce was with this attraction. The 2-D film and PeeWee Herman-voiced pilot are gone, replaced by 3-D and C3PO. You're likely to get a different journey each time as computers shuffle the scenes. The pod-racing bit remains a favorite, with a visit to Kashyyyk, the Wookiee planet, right behind.
Disney/Lucasfilm Ltd

5. Pirates of the Caribbean | This may be the park's most iconic ride, and not just because it was the last one Walt Disney oversaw from start to finish. Filled with as many gags as animatronic figures, even a pandering update for the sake of the movie did not diminish its classic look and feel. It's also one of the lengthier rides, a nice break from the summer heat. The lackluster queue, however, leaves much to be desired. Disney

10 best rides at Disneyland

5. Pirates of the Caribbean | This may be the park's most iconic ride, and not just because it was the last one Walt Disney oversaw from start to finish. Filled with as many gags as animatronic figures, even a pandering update for the sake of the movie did not diminish its classic look and feel. It's also one of the lengthier rides, a nice break from the summer heat. The lackluster queue, however, leaves much to be desired.
Disney

4. Matterhorn | The views and vintage thrills make this a winner. Younger visitors may take potshots at the world's first steel-tube coaster, with its slow roll down the mountain. A recent and welcome upgrade replaces the creaky abominable snowman with a more fearsome animatronic monster (and don't miss what lurks on the lift hill). Money may have been better spent smoothing out a bumpy ride, but the Matterhorn's old-fashioned charm likely will never be embraced by those Millennial whippersnappers. Fine. Now get off my mountain! Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

10 best rides at Disneyland

4. Matterhorn | The views and vintage thrills make this a winner. Younger visitors may take potshots at the world's first steel-tube coaster, with its slow roll down the mountain. A recent and welcome upgrade replaces the creaky abominable snowman with a more fearsome animatronic monster (and don't miss what lurks on the lift hill). Money may have been better spent smoothing out a bumpy ride, but the Matterhorn's old-fashioned charm likely will never be embraced by those Millennial whippersnappers. Fine. Now get off my mountain!
Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

3. Space Mountain | Want to guess how fast you're traveling through space during this indoor ride? About as fast as you drive through your neighborhood — 30 mph. The darkness and wind in your face offer the illusion of speed, which takes nothing away from this roller coaster. It's even better during the Halloween season when it transforms to Ghost Galaxy. Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

10 best rides at Disneyland

3. Space Mountain | Want to guess how fast you're traveling through space during this indoor ride? About as fast as you drive through your neighborhood — 30 mph. The darkness and wind in your face offer the illusion of speed, which takes nothing away from this roller coaster. It's even better during the Halloween season when it transforms to Ghost Galaxy.
Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney

2. Indiana Jones Adventure | The ride-motion vehicles were cutting-edge for their time, but the effects put this ride at No. 2. The pyrotechnics and projected images, as well as the last-second escape from the rolling boulder, have riders jumping right back in line — and it's a great line through the caves and to the dig site. That troop transport truck parked out front is the one that dragged Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Disney

10 best rides at Disneyland

2. Indiana Jones Adventure | The ride-motion vehicles were cutting-edge for their time, but the effects put this ride at No. 2. The pyrotechnics and projected images, as well as the last-second escape from the rolling boulder, have riders jumping right back in line — and it's a great line through the caves and to the dig site. That troop transport truck parked out front is the one that dragged Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
Disney

1. Haunted Mansion | This ride has so many things going for it: fast-moving line, discovery of new details with each ride and the best make-out opportunity for young people in lust. The addition of the legendary Hatbox Ghost, an effect that took more than three decades to perfect, lands this attraction solidly in the top spot. Even if the newest ghost makes the 998 other ghosts seem less spirited. Disney

10 best rides at Disneyland

1. Haunted Mansion | This ride has so many things going for it: fast-moving line, discovery of new details with each ride and the best make-out opportunity for young people in lust. The addition of the legendary Hatbox Ghost, an effect that took more than three decades to perfect, lands this attraction solidly in the top spot. Even if the newest ghost makes the 998 other ghosts seem less spirited.
Disney

Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:

10 best rides at Disneyland

Honorable mention: Splash Mountain | Though it could stand an update, the final drop in this flume ride is worth floating through the various (and dated) "Song of the South" scenes. Here's hoping they boot the B'rers (Rabbit and Bear) and install the Avengers. Call it Bash Mountain (or, based on the value of the Marvel franchise, Cash Mountain).

You’re saying, “Trick question, none of them exist.” And you would be wrong.

There is such a thing as discounted Disneyland tickets, though savings are little and dealers few.

Still, there are ways to save a little money on a Disneyland trip when you consider the whole picture, including hotels, add-ons and length of stay.

Discount ticket strategies

CLOSE

A trip to the Disney Resort in Anaheim is never cheap, but you can save a few bucks with the right attitude.
Scott Craven/The Republic

Tickets from one to five days are available, and the cost per day decreases with multi-day tickets. Single-day admission can be as high as $124, but purchase a five-day Park Hopper ticket and it averages out to $70 per day. The difference between a four-day and five-day Park Hopper ticket is just $15.

You may also save money by purchasing tickets good for one park per day. Rather than bouncing between Disneyland and California Adventure, you’re locked into the park you enter first. Single-park tickets can save you $45. (Although in my experience the ability to visit both parks is worth the extra cost.)

San Diego-based Arestravel, an authorized reseller, offers discounted Park Hopper tickets. Save $17 on a five-day, $18 on a three-day and $19 on a four-day ticket. You save just $4 on a two-day Park Hopper, nearly erased by the agency’s $2-per-ticket fee.

You can find similar discounts at getawaytoday.com. Savings range from $2 on two-day tickets to $15 on four- and five-day tickets.

AAA members can save $10-$20 on multi-day Disney tickets, but you must visit your local office and show your membership card.

Active and retired members of the military may purchase three-day tickets for $168 and four-day tickets for $188, nearly half off regular prices. You must book through Disneyland.

Best deal: While not limited to Disneyland admission, the Southern California CityPass offers a roughly 30 percent discount to many attractions. You get one-day tickets to Legoland (Carlsbad) and SeaWorld San Diego and a three-day Disneyland Park Hopper for $353. If you paid retail, that would cost $474.

Worst deal: Attempting to pass as a Southern California resident if you don't live in Southern California. The Disney resort offers sweet deals to locals, but every adult using a SoCal discount must show photo ID.

Most common mistake: Believing you can save money on tickets by visiting on off-peak days. Technically that's true, but Disney's tiered pricing applies only to single-day tickets, the worst value. Multi-day passes cost the same all year.

Disneyland package deals

Like solutions to Rubik's Cube, there probably are a few quintillion ways to mix hotels, tickets, dates, flights, etc., when booking your trip.

As you shop, pay attention not just to prices but to the add-ons. Some packages may offer gift cards or discounts on such experiences as character dining or Disneyland tours. If you buy three, four- or five-day tickets as part of the package, make sure they include at least one Magic Morning, allowing entry one hour prior to the official park opening.

Costco and AAA Arizona offer discounted packages for members that include hotels and tickets. Savings may be as great as 25 percent, but you may be able to match or beat that price on the hotel's website.

Ticket-buying tips

Order online: Disney sends you tickets you can print at home. Skip the ticket booth and go right to the turnstile, where a cast member will exchange the printout for a pass. Should you lose the printout, head to Guest Services with your ID and credit card to get a replacement.

Order on your mobile phone: Disney sends the tickets straight to your device. Scan the code at the entrance and receive your pass.

Consider an annual pass: Are you a frequent visitor? Annual passes start at $619 (blackout days apply, including holidays and summer Saturdays) and can pay for themselves in a few multi-day trips.

Watch out for scams: Avoid deals on eBay and Craiglist or from other private resellers. If you try to use counterfeit or previously used tickets, you’ll be turned away at the gate. Disney’s high-tech system easily catches frauds, and is one reason why cast members take your photo the first time you use your ticket.

Deal with authorized resellers only: Discount tickets are available from arestravel.com and getawaytoday.com (though savings are relatively small). Should you book packages through Costco or AAA Arizona, those sites will send you to Disneyland.com for final arrangements.

Read the fine print: Avoid surprises by checking out the details. Arestravel, for example, includes a $2 per ticket surcharge (not outrageous), and you must pick up the tickets at the park. And getawaytoday.com charges a $15 shipping and handling fee.